James Richardson began last season fulfilling his dream by being named the starting quarterback at Cardinal Hayes as a junior. His season, however, was a mixed bag of game-winning drives and interception-ending losses.

“Last year I was having trouble reading plays and defenses,” Richardson said.

He immediately looked to fix that by pouring over tapes with head coach C.J. O’Neil and calling out his progressions out loud as he rans through plays. Richardson can now dissect most defenses on his own and has grown more poised in the pocket.

“He’s made huge strides and gotten a lot better,” wide receiver George Dawson said. “He’s throwing the ball with a little more zip, hopefully that translates onto the field to more wins.”

Dawson, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior with offers from Princeton, Bryant and Fordham, is one of several explosive weapons at the 6-foot-1 Richardon’s disposal. He averaged 15.6 yards a catch and grabbed four touchdowns last season. Dawson will also play safety and punt.

He will be joined by senior running back Patrick Heumegni, who backed up star DeQuan June last season. The lightning-quick Heumegni averaged 7.6 yards a carry and collected six touchdowns a year ago. He and his teammates are particulalry motivated by its CHSFL Class AA playoff loss to Kellenberg and Turkey Bowl setback to rival Mount St. Michael to end the season.

The Cardinals are still in search of a backup running back and will have to proceed without top wideout Tim Jones, who transferred to PSAL power John F. Kennedy. Steven Bautista, Amir Chenshaw and Jahad Bryant will look to fill in at wideout.

Hayes will be starting from scratch on the offensive line, though it does return star two-way lineman Mambou Bah. The unit will be under the direction of new assistant coach Kyle Brooks, a former Hayes star who played at Western Connecticut. Senior Jermaine Gray will also play both ways and Ivan Berdecia and Steven Cepada are expected to figure in prominently.

The team’s breakout player could be senior Robert (Georgia) Harris. The 5-foot-6 senior, a safety/receiver, is one of the Cardinals most athletic and versatile pieces. In coverage drills, he had a leaping interception and stuck right with Dawson each time they were matched up. Bernard Appiah will see time at corner while Andenwel Ledesma and Khalil Collier are both expected to contribute at linebacker.

“He is the fastest kid in the zip code,” O’Neil said of Harris.

All of the Cardinals are ready for a big year. They want to build off their success from last season and reverse their dismal ending with a deep playoff run and Turkey Bowl win over Mount.

“I wasn’t happy with the way the playoffs ended,” Heumegni said. “I want it more than anybody.”